20 of the Most Valuable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Toys

If you were a child of the ’80s or ’90s, then it’s likely that you have some fond memories of a particular gang of Heroes in a Half-Shell. Whether you were more partial to Leonardo or Donatello or preferred the cowabunga-crying Michelangelo to gruff Raphael, there’s no denying that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had a massive impact on pop culture throughout both decades.

TMNT started as a parody of Daredevil from comic book cartoonists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. As Turtlemania took off, the franchise found popularity with kids across comic books, TV shows, movies, and even music.

But some of the biggest successes came from their very lucrative toy line, as figures debuted in stores in 1988. During the toy line’s first four years, TMNT action figures, playsets, vehicles, and accessories brought in more than $1 billion in sales. You might even still have a few of those early TMNT toys still in your parents’ basement, attic, or garage. And if those toys are unopened and still in their original packaging, they may fetch you a hardy chunk of change on resale platforms, as some figures in mint condition sell for thousands of dollars.

We rounded up some of the most valuable TMNT toys, according to eBay. Scroll down to peep a few of these collectibles that are great if you’re looking for an instant nostalgia trip (or to make a quick buck).

1. TMNT Undercover Line (1994) // $5200+
2.  TMNT Scratch and Hot Spot (1993) // $3000+
3. TMNT Black Belt Storage Shell Raphael and Michelangelo (1995) // $2000
4. TMNT Giant Slam Dunkin’ Donatello (1991) // $1800+
5. TMNT Sumo Line (1995) // $1275+
6. TMNT Universal Monsters Line (1993) // $1200+
7. TMNT Shogun Shoate (1994) // Up to $1000

TMNT Undercover Line (1994) // $5200+

In 1994, Playmates released the TMNT Undercover sub-line, which featured the Turtles posing as spies. Each package came with a turtle wearing a fedora hat, plus some plastic weapon accessories and either a collector’s card or a coin.

But what makes these action figures exceptional among fans is that each one came with a cloth trench coat instead of a plastic variant (an Undercover version of Donatello released in 1990 had a plastic one). This attention to detail is worth a lot on the secondary market. If you have one of these TMNT Undercover action figures in mint condition and in its original packaging, you can get upwards of $5200 on eBay.

Leonardo tends to be the most expensive out of the four because he was the only one who came with a gold collector coin instead of a card. But Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello could fetch you upwards of $2000 if you’re looking to sell. 

 TMNT Scratch and Hot Spot (1993) // $3000+

Turtlemania started to die down by the mid-’90s—so to breathe new life into the franchise, Playmates released a new crop of toys based on mutants the audience had never seen before, like a mutant street cat-turned-prisoner named Scratch and Hot Spot, a fire-fighting mutant Dalmatian dog, among others. These characters were basically exclusive to Playmates; they didn’t appear in the cartoon series or comic books (though Scratch did briefly show up in a TMNT video game). But the only way to really experience them was through toys.

As these characters weren’t really known to kids through any of the media attached to the franchise, the toys didn’t really take off. They were produced in limited quantities, meaning they’re pretty hard to track down these days. If you do happen to have one, you could rake in a nice chunk of extra dough.

Scratch is highly sought-after by most TMNT toy collectors, and even unboxed versions of this figure can sell for about $2200 on the secondary market; boxed versions can generate well over $3000. But even having a Hot Spot or two stashed away should get collectors excited: This unopened action figure we found on eBay in its original packaging netted well over $1100.

TMNT Black Belt Storage Shell Raphael and Michelangelo (1995) // $2000

The Storage Shell Turtles series that hit stores in 1995 was actually a reissue from an earlier toy line that came out between 1990 and 1991. These coveted collectibles featured all four Turtles with built-in, swing-door-like shells on their backs for accessories storage. The Turtles could stash a lot back there, including weapons and, of course, pizza.

There was a bit of a discrepancy in the figure design, as there are Raphael and Michelangelo models with black belts instead of color-coordinated ones. If you have the TMNT Black Belt Storage Shell Michelangelo (or Raphael) in good condition somewhere but otherwise collecting dust, then you could sell it for up to $2000 on eBay, if not more.

TMNT Giant Slam Dunkin’ Donatello (1991) // $1800+

The Sports Turtles series was one of the most popular TMNT toy lines during the early ’90s. Each oversized, 13-inch turtle action figure got their own sports ’fit, so there was Shell Kickin’ Raph (soccer) and Slap Shot Leo (hockey), along with other fun designs for each character.

But the TMNT Slam Dunkin’ Donatello (basketball) is the catch of the bunch, as a mint-condition version in original packaging could net you nearly $2000 on eBay. This “hoop-hammerin’ ” version of Donatello came with a green basketball and a garbage can rim. He also sported a basketball jersey with the No. 23—like Michael Jordan.

TMNT Sumo Line (1995) // $1275+

The thing that separated the TMNT Sumo toy line from the other iterations of the Heroes in a Half-Shell was that Playmates only released two Turtles as sumos: Michelangelo (a.k.a. the “The Foot Poundin’ Belly Boy” on the box packaging) and Raphael (the “Ton o’ Terror Turtle”).

Each came with a pair of sumo-style sandals, their main weapon of choice (either nunchucks or sais), an extra weapon (a blade with Raph or a mace for Mikey), and a special collector’s coin. One of them in mint condition and its original packaging could fetch you upwards of $1350 on eBay.

TMNT Universal Monsters Line (1993) // $1200+

Playmates released two sets of Universal Monsters-themed Turtles in the early ’90s. The first series came out in 1993 and reimagines the Turtles as classic monsters from Universal Studios, with Mikey as Frankenstein, Don as Dracula, Raph as The Mummy, and Leo as The Wolfman.

The following year, the second series was released, which featured Invisible Man Mikey, Bride of Frankenstein April, Creature from the Black Lagoon Leo, and another—seemingly more mutant—version of Raph. 

Given the fun crossover nature of this sub-line, these figures are still worth a bundle if they’ve been kept in good condition. A mint condition version of Invisible Man Mikey earned nearly $1500 recently. We also found a listing on eBay that sold five toys from this line overall (including two Bride of Frankenstein Aprils) in their original unopened packaging for $1225. On average, though, most figures sell for around $400 and under, even if they’re in good condition.

TMNT Shogun Shoate (1994) // Up to $1000

While he only made an appearance in the comic book series, Shogun Shoate was part of the TMNT Shogun wave of toys that were released in 1994.

This mutant T-Rex warrior from feudal Japan had a limited run at toy stores (likely in part due to the Turtles’ waning popularity by this point in the ’90s). As such, the Shogun Shoate action figure is hard to come by and can go for upwards of $1000 on eBay— especially if it’s still factory-sealed and in good condition within the original packaging. Most versions seem to sell for between $750 to $1000, though, if still in the box.

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